the quick scoop: press your costume

Oh hello, Halloween weekend. Where’d you come from? One minute we were out on the beach, toes in the sand, and then BOOM. It’s cold and the trees are showing signs they won’t be clothed in beautiful yellows, oranges, and reds for too much longer. As always, there’s plenty happening across NYC in honor of the big weekend. Hit up Webster Hall for the official post Halloween Parade shindig starting at 8PM. For something different, the New York Botanical Garden also has their Dia De Los Muertos exhibition running Saturday and Sunday. It starts at 10AM both days. It’s also not too late to hit up the pumpkin patch. Check out these 6 spots that are actually reachable via public transportation. If you’re just looking to do something spooky-ish, this is a fun list of haunted bars across the US. I’ve been to the Ear Inn – can’t say I had anything creepy happen, but it definitely has an eerie vibe. Add people wandering the streets dressed in Halloween garb, and just might be a winner. If you’re bummed for Halloween to be here and done for the year, fear not. There’s Walker Stalker Con on the calendar for the first weekend in December out at the Meadowlands Exposition Center. Discounted tickets are available now via Goldstar.

Fall is popping up everywhere, including on menus across NYC. Red Rooster in Harlem now has Sunday ham soup with black lentils and maple glazed gourds with pumpkin seed gremolata. Gramercy Tavern has their Goat-ober menu, including their delicious sounding goat cheese agnolotti (braised goat, shell beans and pickled garlic scapes). Four and Twenty Blackbirds has their special fall pie menu now available, including a brown butter pumpkin pie and bourbon pear crumble. (Sign me up.)

Not feeling in the Halloween spirit this year? I’m eyeing this Cinnamon Toast Crunch waffles with bourbon maple syrup Bill Baker’s is serving up for brunch in Williamsburg. You can also check out Archestratus, a new spot in Greenpoint which caught my eye. It’s a cookbook shop meets cafe, and sounds 100% awesome. This weekend also marks the return of the New York City Marathon. Check out the street closures, and then hit the streets to cheer on the roughly 50k runners that will be winding through NYC on Sunday. There are a number of NYC area bars and restaurants hosting viewing parties across the city.